The Engines are Coming
by bbll22
Summary: *FINAL CHAPTER NOW UP* There are lost Engines and Diesels on Sodor and this is where it all begins...A series of stories showing the plight of many engines and a Prophecy that has to happen. Mystery roams throughout Sodor and I hope you enjoy...
1. Crosby's Surge

Lee's Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends

Stories

**Crosby's Surge**

It was a stormy night on the Island of Sodor and Mavis and BoCo were making their way to an overnight storage facility to collect more supplies to complete some important work for Centre Island Quarry. However, on this stormy night, BoCo and Mavis had to go slower as their lamps were battered by the awful conditions. Soon enough, they had to come to a complete stop as their lamps had fallen off, and it was too dangerous to carry on, but in the poor light of the night, both crews struggled to find them.  
"Where are they?" wondered Mavis' driver.  
"They should be around here..." said BoCo's driver, but he was baffled by where they had gone aswell. They kept on searching in the fading light and as the storm continued, Mavis and BoCo noted that in the distance was the Power Station. It glowed magnificently against the black of the hills and the dark grey of the sky, and it looked as if it was working harder than it had ever before.

"Should be warm around there!" said Mavis jokingly to keep up morale.

"Indeed..." agreed BoCo, but then as his and Mavis' crew searched for their lights, he recalled an old story that Edward had told him many years ago. BoCo now looked scared as he remembered this story and Mavis was worried.  
"What's the matter, BoCo?" quizzed Mavis.  
"It's the Power Station." replied BoCo. "Edward told me many years ago rumours had spread about old, rusty Engines and Diesels being taken to the Power Station and being hooked onto the Power Grid..."  
"Oh my..." said a horrified Mavis. "How did Edward know about this?"  
"He swears to me that one lonesome night, while he was taking Coal back to Ffarquhar he saw workmen from the Power Station taking apart an engine. He heard the engine scream. He assumed it was being scrapped, but he never knew why at the Power Station..."  
"That's awful...it can't be true" said Mavis.  
"But Edward doesn't lie..." said BoCo eerily. "It has to be true...and if not, why would this happen?" Then, in the distance, both of them saw the Power Station surge with power and its glow momentarily vanish. A faint scream was also heard and this spooked Mavis and BoCo beyond belief. Another scream was heard, but it was much louder this time, and they were very much spooked.

Mavis and BoCo's crew soon came back with the missing lamps and they soon reattached them, and they were soon on their way again, but none of them knew that as they set off, the points had been switched and they were now heading toward the Power Station. In the darkening hours, they continued slowly and heard the chuffing of engines in the distance. Behind some bushes, they could make out the shape of Henry and The Flying Kipper and they could faintly see the Skarloey Railway in the very far distance. This was made even surer by the sounds of Duncan's whistle, which is always recognisable. BoCo and Mavis carried on not knowing of the detour that they had been led onto, and their crew seemed oblivious to it aswell. All of them could see the Power Station lurking proud and tall in the distance with its bright glow, but once again a brief power surge occurred and a scream echoed throughout the nearby hills.  
"What is that?" asked Mavis.  
"Edward never lies..." said BoCo once again. "He's right...they're taking us...and getting rid of us..." he said frightened. BoCo and Mavis' crew didn't know what they were on about at all and were starting to become concerned with their behaviour.  
"What's the matter with you two, tonight?" asked Mavis' driver, but before anyone could reply, they had to break suddenly as something ran across the tracks. The screech was loud and it echoed tremendously, but luckily no-one was hurt. Another power surge occurred once more in the distance as was a faint scream and that's when BoCo's driver realised what BoCo and Mavis were so scared about.  
"Edward wasn't wrong..." he said grimly. "Edward wasn't wrong..."

Strange things were happening on Sodor, and as BoCo and Mavis continued toward the Power Station, the screams from earlier got louder, and it only made Edward's story seem even more true. Soon enough, they arrived beside the Power Station. It looked old, yet new at the same time, it was an odd building, and it seemed so far away from life on Sodor, yet it was just a little bit down the line. Then, they heard banging from inside the Power Station and this spooked them even more. The banging wasn't part of Edward's story, but it did just seem to fit in with everything else that had been said.  
"This cannot be true..." said Mavis once again, but BoCo still seemed unsure.

"Everything Edward said is happening, he wouldn't lie..." he protested, and then the main factory door creaked open. A man was stood there, he looked like an official sort of man with a green visor and a helmet, and he soon invited BoCo and Mavis' crew inside the factory. They seemed nervous to go at first, but they soon went.  
"Be careful!" called Mavis, but no-one responded. The factory door creaked once again as it closed and BoCo and Mavis were now on their own...

BoCo and Mavis' crew were now with the official looking man inside the factory as he led them to something completely unexpected.  
"You are kidding me?" said BoCo's driver as he caught sight of the spectacle.  
"I'm am not..." protested the official looking man. "This is Crosby..." he said proudly. Crosby was an old, rusty BR Class D2/7 Diesel. He looked somewhat regal, but he looked old and worn out now. What remained of his apparent Crimson paint had faded and rusted. He simply didn't look right, and BoCo and Mavis' crew were shocked beyond belief.  
"You've got a Diesel inside a Power Station?" Mavis' driver said in amazement.  
"Yes..." came the reply.  
"But why?" asked BoCo's driver.  
"Well..." began the official looking man. "It was many, many years ago, and Crosby came here to visit. It was completely unannounced and that's how he liked it, but one day he crashed and was severely damaged. His Manager on the Mainland didn't want him back, so he said we could keep him, and that's what we've done. We hooked up his engine to the Power Grid to help us...he's helping supply Sodor's Electricity. He is doing good!"  
"But he's hooked upto the Power Grid?" said Mavis' driver. "How is this right?"  
"I said it could be..." came a rasping voice, and that was Crosby's. "It was either be scrapped or make myself useful one last time...I think I made the right choice..."  
"But..." interrupted the official looking man. "His time is up here. He can go on the lines once again. We've got enough money to cope without him. Please do take him. We've supplied a flatbed, its just round the corner..."  
"Where is he going though?" wondered BoCo's driver.  
"Home..." said Crosby simply. "My old Manager wants me back now. I'm going home!" and with that, workmen and a Crane put Crosby onto the flatbed and pushed him round the corner. When he came into view of Mavis and BoCo, they were shocked.  
"Hello..." rasped Crosby. "I know this is surprising, but no engine gives up on their life..."  
"Oh my..." said Mavis.  
"Edward never lied..." said BoCo triumphantly, and soon enough both of them pushed Crosby along to his crossover point. He looked very happy and his crimson body began to glisten in the moonlight.  
"Wonderful!" he said to himself as he awaited his return home.

As early morning rose, Mavis and BoCo finally pushed Crosby into the crossover point. He was then to be taken by James to the Mainland before finally returning home.  
"I hope you enjoy your old home!" said Mavis cheerily.  
"I hope the same too..." agreed BoCo. Crosby smiled, but he still had something to say.  
"Thankyou for saving me..." he started. "But, this is only the beginning...There are many more engines lost on Sodor...Steam Engines and Diesels alike and were waiting to be useful once again. We don't want to die, we want to live!" BoCo and Mavis were shocked as they didn't know whether to believe him or not, but as James started to pull away with Crosby, he still wasn't finished talking just yet. "The others are yet to be found..." he said eerily. "The others are yet to be found..."


	2. The Legend of Kennedy

Lee's Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends

Stories

**The Legend of Kennedy**

It was early one morning on Toby's day off and Toby wasn't happy at all. His driver and fireman were concerned and knew Toby was always happy on a day off.  
"What's the matter, Toby?" asked his driver.  
"Nothing..." came the reply.  
"Obviously there is a problem..." said his fireman. "So what is it?" Toby sighed, he didn't look like he wanted to say at all, and then bravely he did.  
"Do both of you remember when we found Bertrum all those years ago?" Toby asked.  
"Ofcourse..." both of them replied.  
"Well...I think there are other Engines out there like Bertrum, and I want to find them, but I doubt you'll let me..." said Toby solemnly. His driver and fireman then looked at each other and then whispered to one another before they finally agreed with Toby's plan.  
"Come on then, lad!" said his driver. "Let's find another Engine!"

The sun was just rising as Toby and his crew made their way in search of another lost engine, but they simply just couldn't start looking, they needed guidance. So, they went to the Transfer Yards to find Neil – the engine who had sparked an Island-wide Search after many years of being lost and forgotten about. When they arrived, Neil was at the Transfer Yards and was casually looking around. Toby rang his bell as a way of saying hello.  
"Oh hello there, Toby!" said Neil very deeply. His Scottish overtones were definitely showing today.  
"Hello..." replied Toby happily. "We need your help!" he then said very eagerly.  
"You need my help?" inquired Neil. "Whatever for?"  
"Were trying to find another Engine..." said Toby. "One that's been forgotten..."  
"No Engine is ever forgotten..." said Neil brashly. "They're just misplaced. All you have to do is look around somewhere which remembers an Engine who you don't know about. Start there, and you will find the beginnings of your quest, Toby..."  
"But where do I find out about these 'forgotten' Engines?" asked Toby.  
"Ask any Engine and they'll know of some...its a given. Skarloey never forgot me, and no-one ever forgot about Duke, and that's how we got found again. Someone will always know something..." Neil said quite fondly. Toby then rang his bell as a thankyou and then was off. When he was out of sight, Neil thought he saw a Crimson Diesel coming down the line.  
"Well done..." it said quite grandly. It then disappeared altogether and Neil was spooked. Something was definitely happening...

Toby and his crew were out and about asking anyone for any information about any supposedly 'forgotten' Engines, but they got nowhere at all.  
"Lost Engines?" questioned Duck. "I doubt there are any more Toby...we've found enough..."  
"Surely there has to be..." sighed Toby. "Neil wouldn't do this to us if he knew otherwise..." and with that, Toby trundled back to Neil. When he arrived, Neil was now accompanied by Duke and June – both of whom had been lost and then found. Again he asked about lost Engines but with Duke's excellence and experience, they got further this time.  
"Kennedy..." said Duke proudly. "He was the Engine responsible for the trade we now have at Brendam Docks. He hauled, hauled and hauled to his heart's content and was loved so dearly..."  
"Then he disappeared..." said June. "No-one knows what happened really. Cuts had to be made, and he was extremely costly. We always assumed he was sold on or scrapped, but we can't be sure..."  
"Is there any way of finding him do you think?" asked Toby.  
"Try Manogh Town. He steamed through there everyday and it became his home of sorts..." said Duke. "But it is quite an old link on the railways now, so do be careful, Toby..."  
"I will!" he promised, and once again, his search was on. For Neil, Duke and June, they talked for a good while until they saw a Crimson Diesel pass by. For Neil, this was becoming all too familiar.  
"Well done..." rasped the Diesel as it did before and then it vanished from view altogether.

As the lines became more rickety and more foliage covered, Toby knew that he was approaching Manogh Town. It was just a pass-through for any train, but he could see why an Engine could call this place home.  
"Its so beautiful..." he said. His crew agreed and soon they came to a stop by an old Signalman's Box.  
"Were going to have a look to see if anyone remembers Kennedy..." said Toby's driver. "We'll be back soon..." Toby just waited and looked round Manogh to pass the time. People still lived here, but there weren't many at all. Then, Toby's fireman came back to him with good news.  
"We've found someone who knows about Kennedy!" he said happily. Toby was over the moon with delight. It turned out that an Elderly Resident fondly remembered Kennedy all those years ago and even had a portrait of him hanging on their Kitchen wall. His driver was most intrigued.  
"A Thompson Class B1? A fine Engine indeed..." he said. Then, he noticed Kennedy's colours on the portrait. A deep, dark blue dominated his body while touches of white and hints of grey all reflected his background. His colours reflected the Scottish Flag and Kennedy was a very proud Scottish Engine.  
"We know what we've got to look for now..." said Toby's fireman who had rejoined the driver. They soon returned to Toby and gave him the great news and then began their search once more. Kennedy was getting closer and closer...

The desperation to find an Engine and that of Kennedy was growing stronger by the minute for Toby and his crew. Knowing what he looks like was of great help to them as when they found empty bodies of engines long gone, they breathed a sigh of relief when they found the body didn't belong to that of a Thompson Class B1. The light of day had nearly all but gone now and the search had still got nothing for the efforts that had been put in.  
"We'll never find him..." said Toby sadly when they came to a pause. His crew tried to reassure him, but they knew that finding Kennedy was now becoming increasingly unlikely. They had stopped on a remote part of track just past Manogh Town and all they could see for any sign of residence was a small, dilapidated house and an enormous shed next to it. It was bizarre how the house was so small and the shed was so big, but there was nothing sinister about it. Then as everywhere went quiet, a faint tapping was heard. It was someone walking towards them.  
"You're looking for Kennedy, aren't you?" croaked the voice to Toby's crew.  
"Yes, do you think you can help us with the search?" they then asked in reply.  
"I think so..." came the croaked reply. The person turned out to be an Elderly Gentleman and he soon pointed the crew in the direction he wanted and they followed him. Once again, Toby was left on his own, and here it was very spooky. Toby's crew went along with the person and spoke to them more. The Elderly Gentleman told Toby's crew that he lived in the dilapidated house, but he was taking them to the shed. Along the way, they noticed old railway lines leading right upto the shed. They were puzzled indeed, and then when the Elderly Gentleman opened the shed door, they were shocked beyond belief.  
"It can't be..." said Toby's driver. "That's him! That's..."  
"Kennedy!" croaked the Elderly Gentleman. "He's been here all these years with me for company. I have restored him and he is extremely happy." Toby's crew were in disbelief at what they'd seen. How could the Elderly Gentleman have kept Kennedy a secret here all these years? How could he?

The Elderly Gentleman wouldn't explain everything as all he would allude to was that he bought Kennedy when he was to be sold on. All his savings were spent on Kennedy and that's why his house had become dilapidated. He kept him a secret because he feared Kennedy would be scrapped, and he wouldn't be able to live with that thought. From his restoration, Kennedy gleamed brilliantly and within no time at all, he could make steam. His steam wheeshed loudly and spooked Toby but his crew soon came to tell him that the steam belonged to Kennedy. He had been found and they could now relax. The news was soon conveyed to the Fat Controller who was just leaving his Office when he heard the news.  
"Excellent!" he boomed. "I must see him at once!" and true to his word, the Fat Controller zoomed along in his blue car and soon arrived by the shed. He simply couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Kennedy. You were just a story to me. My Father spoke endlessly about you and now I can see you in all your brilliance. This is just magnificent!"

Then, as the early morning sun rose, Kennedy slowly steamed out of the shed and glimmered wonderfully with the brightening light of day. He looked like he was brand new, except he wasn't. Crowds watched Kennedy slowly go back onto the mainline and they applauded and he proudly tooted his whistle.  
"The Hero of Dockland Trade is back..." declared Kennedy. "Now I will do Sodor proud once more!" and slowly but surely, Kennedy set off with jubilating crowds behind him cheering him on all the way. Toby rang his bell constantly and his crew and the Elderly Gentleman joined in with the applause. When Kennedy arrived at Brendam Docks, Murdoch was watching proudly to see the Engine whom he would now work alongside with.  
"Welcome home..." said Murdoch. "I hope I can live upto your standards here..." Kennedy beamed a wide smile and within no time at all, he forged a great friendship with Murdoch and together they hauled the biggest loads imaginable. Everyone was so impressed with Kennedy and no-one could fault him at all.  
"I'm doing Scotland proud!" he announced at the shed one night, and Murdoch agreed without hesitation, but as they were going to sleep, a Crimson Diesel appeared before both of them.  
"Well done Kennedy..." it rasped. "Well done..."  
"What for?" asked Kennedy.  
"Well done for being found, but most of all, well done for making my prophecy become even more true." Murdoch and Kennedy were extremely worried. Neither of them knew the Diesel and were puzzled by what it was saying.  
"What do you mean?" asked Murdoch hesitantly.  
"Old Engines are returning to Sodor..." said the Diesel ominously. "I am one of them...No-one can stop this happening as the want for Engines to return will never fade away, will it Kennedy?"  
"No..." said Kennedy. "It never, ever will..."  
"Well, its nice to see you back, but you won't be the last Kennedy, as the others are yet to be found." said the Diesel eerily. "The others are yet to be found..."


	3. Spooked Duke and the Haunted Hotel

Lee's Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends

Stories

**Spooked Duke and the Haunted Hotel**

It was an eerie night on the Skarloey Railway and Duke; the Hero of the Engines was peacefully taking his time back to the sheds. Ever since the incident of the mysterious unknown whistling Engine Duke has never been keen on working at this time, but he puts on a brave face and just thinks of the safety and security of home at the sheds. As he slowly chugged along the line, Duke's crew began to notice a problem developing.  
"You're running out of steam lad..." called his driver.  
"Oh dear..." muttered Duke as he carried on, but as the steam depleted and depleted Duke found it more difficult to continue and then he soon came to a stop.  
"That's done it..." sighed his fireman. "We're stuck..." As his crew looked round to see why Duke had lost steam, Duke had noticed where they'd come to a stop.  
"The Old Key Hotel..." he murmured. "Oh dear..." Duke knew exactly why he wouldn't want to be here and he was now frightened. On an eerily spooky night, the Old Key Hotel would provide some scares...

"What story?" asked Duke's driver.  
"The story of the Old Key Hotel..." replied Duke. "Bertrum told me of it many, many years ago. There was a ghost that had always lived there and it spooked its Owners for years. They mysteriously vanished without a trace and have never been seen since..."  
"It's just a story..." joked Duke's fireman to calm his nerves.  
"It's more than that..." said Duke adamantly. "The owners had a Train of their own. It ran from the station to the Hotel for them and the guests...When they vanished, the Train did too. No-one scrapped it, no-one sold it, it just vanished..."  
"So a ghost took the Owners and their Train?" quizzed his driver.  
"Yes..." replied Duke simply, but before he could continue a sudden banging noise was heard. It was coming from the Hotel. The now derelict building looked in ruins but there was a definite banging from the Hotel. It thumped and it thumped and it echoes all around. Fog was settling down around everyone and this made the already spooky area even more terrifying.

"This just isn't right..." said the fireman. "We need someone to come and help get us..."  
"Where do we do that though?" said the driver. "It's too dark to go wandering off. We've got to stay here..." and both of them then got in Duke's cab for some security but more importantly, warmth. The banging from the Hotel was still audible but it was fading quickly. Duke then quickly closed his eyes to take in the surroundings into his mind but when he opened them again a Crimson Diesel was before him. It was much bigger than him and all it said was.  
"Well done Duke...you are the Hero..."

As the night carried on, Duke and his crew became ever more wary of anything that could pose a threat to them. They cautiously looked round and kept surveying the area. When a tree branch creaked everyone was spooked, but it was the Hotel providing most of the horror. The banging from the Hotel had stopped, but a faint tapping noise was now coming from Duke's boiler. Someone or something was tapping it and it spooked Duke enormously but he kept on a brave face. His crew checked beside his boiler, but there was no-one or nothing that could have been tapping him.  
"This is strange..." said his driver.  
"Spooky is the operative word..." added the fireman cautiously. Silence fell but the tapping soon restarted and this time was even louder.  
"Whatever is doing this should stop right now..." said Duke firmly and soon it did stop. Everyone looked around yet again and once more Duke saw the Crimson Diesel. It was too big to be on Narrow Gauge rails so to Duke it appeared as if it was floating above them.  
"Don't fret dear Duke..." it said grandly. "This is only the beginning...not just for you, but for everyone on Sodor. You and Bertrum are the bravest of the brave but I am going to test that...and this is your test..." The Crimson Diesel soon faded altogether and Duke and his crew were still left all spooked out.

From the banging at the Hotel to the tapping on Duke's boiler, this night was very spooky indeed for all involved. No-one could dare sleep and the mist and fog kept going and then returning just as a way of teasing them. Duke and his crew were beyond terrified now as they simply couldn't bare it anymore but they were being brave.  
"Help us..." came an eerie voice in the distance. "Please help..." No-one dared move at all and the voices only added to the terror. Then all of a sudden the main door on the Hotel burst of with a loud bang. Was it a sudden gust of wind? Or was it the ghost? No-one could be sure but it definitely caught them by surprise.  
"Stop it!" called Duke. "Whatever you are just stop it now!" but no-one replied. The eeriness of the situation wasn't helping at all for anyone and they simply froze in shock.  
"Help us...please..." came that eerie voice again.  
"I'm going to check where that voice is coming from..." said Duke's driver bravely.  
"But what if it's the ghost?" asked Duke.  
"It won't..." he said firmly, but he wasn't sure. He slowly edged his way nearer to the Hotel and was wary of everything around him. He was soon round the back of the Hotel when he noticed some shapes. "Who's there?" he called.  
"Us..." came the eerie reply. Duke's driver was spooked and edged slower towards the voices. Then in the reflection of the Moonlight he saw the shapes were vans.  
"Oh my..." he gasped. "What are you doing here?"  
"We were forgotten..." coughed one of the vans. He struggled to adjust his voice properly and then he was ok. "I'm Boxer..." he gruffed. "And that's my Brother, Baxter..."  
"Nice to meet you..." said Duke's driver.  
"Same to you..." coughed Baxter who then regained his regular voice. "Apologies for the spooking earlier...we've been here so long our voices became all hoarse and scratchy...Now were gruff again!"  
"So you've caused everything?" asked Duke's driver.  
"No..." replied Boxer and Baxter. "All we did was speak..."  
"Something it still out here then..." murmured Duke's driver eerily.

"They may not be Trains, but you have certainly gained...They may not be Trains, but you have certainly gained..." sang an eerie voice over everyone around the Old Key Hotel. For Duke he could it was the Crimson Diesel singing, but why was it there? As the night grew strong, the intensity of it all was becoming all too much but it wasn't yet over. Footsteps that were neither Duke's driver nor fireman's were heard as was the whispering of Duke's name right beside his boiler.  
"We've got to get out of here..." said Duke's fireman. "This is sending us mad!"  
"We can't leave Duke or Boxer and Baxter now..." said the driver. "We've got to wait until morning..."  
"Don't be ridiculous..." retorted the fireman but he knew the driver was right. Help wouldn't come until then and he had to accept it. As time went on and the morning broke through, the eeriness was leaving the areas around the Old Key Hotel. Help was arriving in the form of MightyMac and Duke and his crew would soon be home. As for Boxer and Baxter they were towed away to Keeley Morgan's workshop where they were restored to their former glory. They were the Owners Vans and now they were Hotel Vans for the whole Island. Everything had worked out alright, or so it seemed...

That night at the sheds all Duke could think about was the Crimson Diesel and the ghost of the Old Key Hotel. Were they the same thing? Surely not...The night was stormy and lightning and thunder erupted around the railway. Duke blinked and the Crimson Diesel was once more in front of him.  
"Well, well Duke...seems you coped alright with that. Boxer and Baxter would thankyou greatly for bringing them back but you're too good to be properly spooked. You seemed to have worked out that I'm am key in all of this and you would be right in thinking that way. As you know, Engines are returning to Sodor. Ones that people remembered and ones that were shunned away altogether. As I said before, Bertrum is still to face me and that is when we take hold..."  
"Who's we?" asked Duke nervously.  
"You'll found out very soon..." said the Crimson Diesel ominously before vanishing altogether just like the Owners and the Train of the Old Key Hotel. An Architect is apparently considering renovating the Old Key Hotel now but if they knew the true back-story to why it is derelict, they may never want to see it ever again...

"As time carries on and more and more are found the Prophecy is coming true..." said the Crimson Diesel as he looked on over Sodor. "But we are not done yet as the Smelters and the Mines still hold the Truth of Sodor...The others are yet to be found..."


	4. Arthur's Nightmare

Lee's Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends

Stories

**Arthur's Nightmare  
**

On a lonesome, eerie night on Sodor, Arthur was working steadily through his duties that would lead to Henry taking the magnificent Flying Kipper.  
"There's something strange happening lately..." sighed Mr. Addison, the lead Fishmonger on Arthur's Branchline. The dark, dank surroundings around Arthur's Branchline made the night even more strange that it actually was.  
"Come on, lad!" said Arthur's driver. "Let's be as quick as we can! I want to get home!"  
"Me too!" agreed hid fireman.  
"We can't rush though..." replied Arthur. "Mr. Addison and his men aren't finished yet...we've got to wait!"  
"Almost there!" called Mr. Addison. "The Bream are superb is I must say so!"  
"Beautiful Bream..." muttered Arthur to himself. Bream was most certainly his favourite fish of all and by his Branchline was the biggest supply of Bream in the Seas. When it came into the crates, Arthur just loved the smell and couldn't possibly understand why anyone could hate fish, especially someone like Thomas.  
"Were done!" shouted Mr. Addison as he and his men had completed their loading duties.  
"Oh good!" smiled Arthur's driver. "Come along, lad! Off we go!" he then commanded. Arthur then tooted his whistle and began his procession of beautiful Bream. However, as the train carried along the Branchline there was a deep, pounding horn noise. Infact, there were two sounding in unison, except these horns had never been heard before. Something strange was happening...

As Arthur whistled along his way he noticed that all the engines appeared to be slightly nervous for some reason. Something very strange was happening and no-one could quite work out why.  
"Everyone's on tenterhooks..." said Arthur's fireman.  
"I don't know why..." added the driver. As they carried on slowly, Arthur began to become more and more wary of what was around him. Eerie looking trees spooked him somewhat.  
"Ooh!" he cried as the trees branches swung in the night breeze. Then, the hooting of Owls and rustling of bushes spooked him even more. Arthur began to become even more scared than ever. "What's happening?" he asked to his crew.  
"Nothing..." they replied. Arthur couldn't quite believe them and it was only made worse when at a crossing he thought he saw a Crimson Diesel pass by. No Crimson Diesels live on Sodor, that was a fact, so why was Arthur seeing one now?  
"Well done..." whispered the Diesel. "They are almost here..." he added before the two horns from earlier were heard once more. Arthur's crew heard them this time and they began to wonder aswell.  
"Something is really not right..." said the driver.  
"I can only agree..." sighed the fireman as Arthur was nearing the Docks. He could see Henry eagerly waiting as his Flying Kipper trucks were loaded up, but as Arthur got even nearer, he thought he saw the Crimson Diesel once again.  
"Almost there..." it whispered before vanishing altogether. Arthur didn't dare speak and only did once again when Henry began to speak to him.  
"You took your time!" he joked. "The Kipper can't wait much longer!"  
"The Bream is b...b..beautiful..." replied Arthur who was smiling widely.  
"Good..." said Henry. "Beautiful Bream always sells at Market!" he added as the men loaded up the Kipper. Arthur was soon told to leave and make his way, and on leaving he was flagged down by the Night Guard.  
"I've got orders from Sir Topham Hatt!" he declared. "You've got to go to the Smelters, Arthur! Some trucks are being saved! We are running out! You must go straight away!"  
"Can't anyone else do it?" asked Arthur's driver. "We're worn out!"  
"It won't take too long..." replied the Night Guard. Arthur soon set off for the Smelters and as he left, the two horns were heard once again, but why?

As the night got darker and the eeriness intensified, Arthur soldiered on to the Smelters. He, like his crew didn't want to go there. The burning cauldron of hot metal and shards of long gone engines still remain there and for anyone, train or person can still find it very spooky indeed. His wheels chugged hardly against the track and his whistled loudly to let them know he was approaching. Arthur wanted to finish at quickly as possible and as the wide doors opened, Arthur was amazed at the bright red glow that the Smelters gave off.  
"I don't like it..." he said to himself.  
"Trust us lad, we don't either..." comforted his driver.  
"I take it you must be Arthur!" boomed a voice from a distance.  
"Yes..." replied the fireman as his voice echoed loudly.  
"Well, come on in then!" boomed the voice once more. Arthur complied and then saw that there was a man, presumably the Manager on the gantry leading to his office.  
"What do you need us to do exactly?" asked Arthur's driver.  
"Take these trucks, coaches and engine shells back to the workshops...they are being restored!" replied the man. "I take it you'll do the duty, so I'm off for a break!" he added before leaving from sight. Arthur and his crew then looked for the trucks, coaches and engine shells, but couldn't find a thing.  
"Was he having us on?" asked the fireman.  
"No, not at all..." hissed a voice.  
"Oh dear..." muttered Arthur. "It's 'Arry..."  
"Indeed..." smiled 'Arry. "...and not forgetting Bert aswell..." he added as the pair snaked into place.  
"Why are we here?" asked Arthur's driver.  
"Good reasons..." replied Bert. "Except there aren't coming from me, or 'Arry..."  
"Then who are they coming from?" asked Arthur.  
"Us!" greased some voices from afar. Then came the horns, the ones Arthur and his crew had heard earlier. Soon, into view came two more Diesels. They were the same kind as 'Arry and Bert but they were a deep blue colour with the hazard stripes all around them.  
"Arthur, say hello to our Sisters..." began 'Arry as the two Diesels stopped beside their Brothers. "...Blanche and Bess..."  
"Why hello..." sneered Blanche who had a very distinctive pointed noise and a scowled expression.  
"Nice to scrap you..." gruffed Bess who had a beauty spot on her cheek and a more wrinkled face.  
"Scrap me?" said a shocked Arthur.  
"Oh indeed!" smiled Blanche. "Come along Bess! We've got work to do!" Arthur was beyond scared now and all he and his crew could do was panic.  
"Sorry boy, but we've got to go!" said his driver before he and the fireman left from sight.  
"Don't leave me!" cried Arthur, but it was no use. Without a crew he couldn't move and soon Blanche and Bess had buffered upto him.  
"Scrapping an honourable engine..." smiled Bess. "How wonderful..."  
"You're not going to scrap me!" pleaded Arthur.  
"Are you sure?" asked Blanche.  
"No!" replied a terrified Arthur as he was led further into the cavernous Smelters. Doors slammed shut and then all fell silent. For Arthur's crew, they simply couldn't stop them...

Over the next few days, a search was sent out for Arthur but with no luck. The Smelters were cleared but still no Arthur was to be found. Even Blanche and Bess weren't to be seen and when asked, 'Arry and Bert pretended as if they didn't know them.  
"What happened?" asked the Fat Controller to Arthur's crew.  
"We can't be certain..." replied the driver.  
"But all we know is that he's gone..." added the fireman. As they then looked out on another search with no results, the future of Arthur was compromised but all everyone could do was hope. Throughout Sodor, engines looked on in horror as the Crimson Diesel loomed over them.  
"It is almost here!" it whispered to everyone, but what did it mean? And what does it mean for the safety and future of Sodor?


	5. The Honey Trap

Lee's Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends

Stories

**The Honey Trap**

With old engines seemingly returning on a regular basis, the sudden disappearance of Arthur was still plaguing the minds of everyone else on Sodor. Engines were terrified to be doing night shifts as that was when Arthur disappeared. 'Arry and Bert were questioned endlessly as they were known to be there at the time of Arthur's disappearance, but they just kept pleading their innocence. The only clue that became clear was that of two blue Diesels but there are no such Diesels on Sodor, and this is what mystified everyone so much. As time went on and the anguish deepened, there seemed to be no way back for Arthur whatsoever…

For the engines of Sodor, this time was not a time when anyone was proud to say they lived here. Even the long-serving engines on the Arlesdale Railway were losing faith in the place they called home. Honey, the British Rail Class ES1 Diesel was deeply affected by it all and didn't want to work whatsoever.  
"Honey, you have got to work…" declared Mr. Fergus Duncan, the Arlesdale Railway Manager. "Sodor has to move on. Yes, it is not a good time at all for the Island I admit, but we are much stronger than this."  
"But Sir…" pleaded Honey nervously. "I don't want to go missing. I really don't!"  
I doubt anyone does, Honey…" replied Mr. Duncan. "…but what we must to keep morale up is move on and act like it never happened. Everyone else here is and I expect you to do the same."  
"But Sir…" pleaded Honey once more.  
"No more excuses, Honey…" said Mr. Duncan firmly. "Your work is ready for you, and I expect it to be done." he added before leaving. Honey was terrified but knew in times like this, being brave was what made Sodor engines brilliant engines. As she started to regain some confidence within herself, in the distance Honey saw something like a Diesel floating above the rails. It the fading light of the day Honey could just about make out its Crimson paint.  
"It can't be…" Honey muttered to herself. She'd heard of the stories of this Crimson Diesel appearing and disappearing without a trace all around the Island, and now she'd seen it herself. She could make out its face, a very regal face but nothing more than that.  
"Stone Pass…." then echoed the voice from the Diesel before it disappeared.  
"Stone Pass?" said Honey. "What's that?" she asked. She was about to find out….

As evening settled in and around the Arlesdale landscape, Honey's driver came back from his break to begin his shift with her.  
"Everything alright?" he beamed at Honey, but he could see she wasn't alright at all. He knew the story of Arthur's disappearance had plagued her mind ever since the story broke, and he knew she would not be alright until he returned safe and well. "Come on then…" he cajoled. "Let's collect some Cattle Trucks!" and Honey set off to do the work. She, like her driver hoped that would take her mind off things, it did somewhat, but not enough.  
"Stone Pass…." she muttered to herself once more on the way. "What does it mean?"  
"What does what mean?" cut in her driver who'd overheard her.  
"Stone Pass…" Honey replied. "What does it mean?" Honey's driver just looked paler in the face as soon as he heard those words. Honey then came to a stop as he knew he had to tell her.  
"Stone Pass…" he began. "…was an old line on this Railway. It led to an old little mine and that was it. You had to pass several big Stone areas before you reached it. Hence the Stone Pass name. How did you even hear of it anyway? No-one talks of it now…"  
"A Diesel told me…" Honey confided. "The Crimson Diesel! The one that's been seen all around. I saw it and it told me of Stone Pass. Why though?"  
"Who knows?" replied her driver. He looked very uncomfortable now and he most certainly wanted to get his shift over and done with. He'd heard of this supposed Diesel appearing but he was very dubious about it. "Come on then…" he then shrugged. "We've got Cattle Trucks to collect! Off we go!" and Honey once more was off on her way, but neither she or her driver had noticed that the points they were coming to were set in the wrong direction. They were heading somewhere else.  
"Stone Pass…" echoed a voice. "Well done…"

Not long after taking the exit off the points did Honey's driver realise his error. He wanted to go back as he was very unfamiliar with what was around him. Honey just looked on nervously. Decrepit trees and land that had long died surrounded them, and in the distance was what appeared to be a formation of rocks or something like that.  
"Stones!" exclaimed Honey. "Stone Pass!"  
"No, we can't be…" doubted her driver. "The line was taken away after the mine closed. This is impossible!" he added as he then tried to reverse Honey down the line. She went back a little bit and then seemingly hit something. It clanged loudly and echoed all around.  
"What was that?" said Honey. Her driver soon found out.  
"Oh my!" he cried loudly. "But you can't be here!"  
"But I am…" then echoed a voice almost sarcastically towards Honey's driver. Honey could only listen and was extremely worried.  
"Who is it?" she then asked nervously.  
"Would a Crimson body be a clue?" smirked the voice.  
"How can it be you?" asked Honey.  
"Who are you anyway?" quizzed Honey's driver. "Why are you here?"  
"I am Crosby. I have brought the message of the missing engines. I am not here. You are only seeing what you want to see…" replied the Crimson Diesel.  
"Are we safe now?" asked Honey. Crosby didn't answer. He just looked on sadly.  
"The engines have all been found, Honey…" he then began. "...but engines have to be taken aswell…"  
"Did you take Arthur then?" Honey asked courageously.  
"No…" answered Crosby simply. "It was never the plan. Sodor can't and must never forget its past. The horrible past, one of horrid decisions and one of pain. Engines come and engines go, that is the way of Sodor."  
"How many more need to be 'taken' then?" asked Honey's driver.  
"No-one is sure at the present." replied Crosby. "Although it will be two very soon…" and with that, Honey and her driver realised what was happening.  
"What's going to happen to us?" asked Honey with her voice trembling with fear.  
"You will follow us…" sneered a new voice from in front of Honey. Like Crosby, it was hovering above the lines as it was too big to fit there properly. And then it occurred to both Honey and her driver.  
"Blue Diesel…" they said in unison as before them was a blue Diesel. Without even thinking, Honey's driver got aboard and started to driver Honey towards the blue Diesel. It was like he was possessed.  
"Well done…" congratulated Crosby from behind before disappearing altogether. Within mere moments, mist clouded around where Honey and her driver were and then as it parted, they were nowhere to be seen.

The point at which they'd crossed to get to Stone Pass was put back in place and no-one would ever know. When morning came, a frantic search was put out for Honey and her driver but like the search for Arthur, there was no luck at all. Sodor had been gripped once more the terrible fate of another engine and now no-one felt safe at all. At night, no engine dares to go out, not one and all believe that they've now seen the Crimson Diesel and heard its haunting poem that echoes across the land.

"Engines come and engines go.  
Some are fast and some are slow.  
Some say yes and some say no.  
But an engine's fate is not within their hold.  
As the engines of now must meet the engines of old.

The engines of now are in fear and must hide.  
As the engines of old are coming in their stride.  
Engines and People are running.  
But they all must know that the engines of old are coming…"


	6. The Fear of Sodor

Lee's Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends

Stories

**The Fear of Sodor**

Terror, fear, horror and distress all resonated across the Island of Sodor. With two engines now taken, there was now the increasing worry that more would disappear within the coming days.  
"It's not safe here anymore Topham…" cried a clearly distressed Lady Hatt to her husband. "We can't possibly stay here. We need to go to the Mainland."  
"I sorry dear…" replied the Fat Controller glumly. "We have to stay. We have to for the sake of the engines." Lady Hatt just looked even more horrified than before. Her usually pristine make-up was worn away with the endless tears of fear and dread and she was shaking uncontrollably. Her distress deeply worried the Fat Controller, but he knew, like all the other controller's on Sodor, if they left, the engines would lose all trust. That could never happen in the mind of the Fat Controller, but even he doubted that now…

"Engines come and engines go.  
Some are fast and some are slow.  
Some say yes and some say no.  
But an engine's fate is not within their hold.  
As the engines of now must meet the engines of old." sang two children eerily as Bertrum passed them by. He, despite all his notoriety for bravery was scared to the core like everyone else. The Crimson Diesel that floats above the rails. The Blue Diesels that seem key to everything and then that haunting poem, one that terrified all.  
"It's times like this that make you wonder how we engines cope…" said Bertrum to himself in his shed a little bit later. He just looked around and could that the activity of day was fading very fast. Evening was drawing in and that meant night was fast approaching too. Bertrum could see clear the panic and fear etched across the faces of all of his friends. The most surprising and worrying one of all though was that of Duke. If he was scared, then everyone else knew something very wrong was happening.  
"Engines come and engines go. Some are fast and some are slow." echoed a voice from behind Bertrum that scared him even more than the children from earlier. This voice seemed all too familiar and unlike the children it sounded real. Bertrum had noticed the two children standing and staring at him as he passed by. They were pale in skin tone and their eyes were noticeably bloodshot. They moved in perfect unison and to anyone, they were most certainly terrifying. Bertrum had to focus on the here and now though.  
"Who's speaking?" he asked nervously. "No-one scares the Old Warrior you know, not even Ghost Engines, so show yourself." but nothing happened. There was no reply and there was an eerie silence developing in the shed.  
"Well done…" then rasped a voice.  
"Is it you?" panicked Bertrum. "The Diesel? The Crimson one?"  
"Well done, Bertrum…" congratulated the voice sarcastically. "I rather hoped we'd properly meet soon."  
"Who are you?" asked Bertrum. He didn't know where the voice was coming from now as he could tell it had moved and this is what now terrified him a lot.  
"I am who you say I am…" replied the voice rather ambiguously. There appeared to be a casual swagger to the haunting tones it was producing, almost as if it was enjoying spooking engines. Bertrum shivered. The voice was most certainly haunting him and now knew his fears, like everyone else's were most certainly coming true…

"Tick tock, its horror o'clock and no-one can stop us.  
Whether you're a car, train or bus.  
Everyone's in hiding or running.  
As the engines of old are coming…"

As night drew in across Sodor, the fear and panic that had resonated into everyone set in once more. The moon shone brightly as the clouds and mist settled and reigned in on everywhere. The most peaceful of areas now in these terrifying circumstances looked full of horror and torment and that is what was bothering everyone the most. It was clear to Bertrum that for some unknown reason he seemed key to all of this. He didn't know why but the words presumably coming from the Crimson Diesel did seem to indicate it.  
"The Old Warrior engine has never been so scared…" chortled the Crimson Diesel. Bertrum, although terrified knew he needed to pluck up some courage, and fast.  
"Why have you stayed with me?" he asked confidently. "From the stories, you would just appear, tell us a few words and then go. Why haven't you done that with me?"  
"Because now we are at the critical point, Bertrum…" replied the Crimson Diesel. "Engines come and engines go…"  
"Oh don't start that!" cut in Bertrum. "I've heard enough of that poem to last a lifetime!"  
"Engines of Sodor's past…" continued the Crimson Diesel. "…have always held significance here. The new engines do too."  
"Is that why Arthur and Honey disappeared then?" quizzed Bertrum. "…because they were new? If that is the case, that is just horrible!"  
"New doesn't always mean good, Bertrum…" spouted the Crimson Diesel. "I should know that. I was new when I first came here. Obviously I could never help my accident happening and then being connected to the power grid because it was never my choice. It wasn't fate either. Someone decided for me…"  
"…and who w...w...w…w…was that?" asked Bertrum extremely nervously. The Crimson Diesel didn't need to speak as in an instant before Bertrum appeared a Blue Diesel. It floated above the rails and looked on at the Old Warrior with a vicious stare.  
"Our most prized asset yet…" it then eventually spoke before smiling widely. Bertrum just looked on horrified as suddenly his wheels then began to move. Something was moving him towards the Blue Diesel. Bertrum panicked.  
"What's happening? Who's doing this?" he called but no-one replied. As his wheels then edged closer and closer to the ominous Blue Diesel, fog settled in and around Bertrum and his shed. Everywhere then fell silent and Bertrum looked on helplessly. He then tried to call out for help but it was as if the fog was blocking out his cries. Bertrum had no hope and then within seconds, the fog disappeared and with that, so did Bertrum. The Old Warrior had gone.  
"The time is here…we are ready!" then spoke the Blue Diesel before disappearing too. The Crimson Diesel, otherwise known as Crosby then surveyed the Skarloey Railway one last time. He shut his eyes and then opened them again. Here, he now discovered he was on the lines. He was attached to the Sodor railway once again.  
"This feels….great…" he muttered to himself. Taking it all in he then saw beside him were the two Blue Diesels.  
"Well done…" spoke one of them.  
"Well done indeed…" added the other. Crosby just looked at them proudly. He'd been made to think they were brilliant but deep down he knew all those years ago when they first contacted him that he didn't want this to happen. For his own safety though, he had to be on their side for fear of what could happen to him.  
"I take it were ready then…" he asked with a forced smile.  
"Oh indeed…" smiled one. "Are you ready, Bess?"  
"Indeed I am…" smiled Bess. "I take it you are Blanche…" Blanche just smiled. She and her sister knew their plan was now fully ready. The long-awaited prophecy was now being fulfilled and now it was time to get into the action of it all. The three of them then set off slowly all heading in different directions. As no engines dared to go out at night, they knew where they'd all be.  
"The sheds!" smiled Bess brightly. "I hope they are prepared for this!" but no-one was. The terror of the Sodor nights was made even worse by the sudden arrival of those who were linked to the disappearances and all the goings-on. Blanche and Bess just smiled with delight and relished the fear they were setting in over Sodor. Everyone was scared as they didn't know what was going to happen next. What were the Diesels planning? What would this mean for Sodor? And most of all, would everyone make it out safe and well?

The engines of old had returned to reclaim their former pride and once again become a part of Sodor, but as this tale approaches the final leg of its journey, has the prophecy been fulfilled? And is this now the end of Sodor?


	7. The Forgotten of Sodor

Lee's Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends

Stories

**The Forgotten of Sodor**

With everyone terrified for their lives, the engines of old took centre stage once more and felt like they were the most important things in the world.  
"Sodor had to learn…" called out Blanche. "You can't forget your past!"  
"By doing so…" continued Bess. "We wouldn't be here. But you forgot, and that is what was wrong…"  
"You've done all of this because we forgot about you?" said Henry indignantly from his shed. Everyone else at Tidmouth Sheds was equally as disgusted at the sheer audacity of the Diesels.  
"Forgetting is wrong…" reiterated Blanche. "You don't forget your past."  
"What happens next, though?" asked Emily bravely. "You canny take us away! There's too many of us!"  
"This is true…" replied Bess with a vicious stare. "But we can force engines out…"  
"Don't be so preposterous!" cut in Gordon. "You cannot do that!"  
"This coming from the engine who only came to Sodor because his predecessor broke down a lot. You are lucky you are even here, Gordon…" sneered Blanche.  
"How can you know this?" Gordon then asked.  
"Because we know all…" replied Bess. "Everything and everyone that has ever been on Sodor. And that is what we're bringing back…"  
"The engines of old and the engines that have died can come back to the place they called home." continued Blanche. The engines just looked on totally mesmerized by the whole plan. Engines that have died could not come back surely? But then again, engines can't simply disappear and that is what happened with Arthur and Honey. No-one else knew about Bertrum's disappearance as of yet, but if they did, a rebellion would most certainly be on the way. For the time being, the engines just remained quiet whilst Blanche and Bess carried on gaining more power by the minute…

Elsewhere, Crosby who up until now had been loyal to the grim pair of Diesel's was slowly wanting to be himself once again. He'd had enough of this altogether and he just wanted to work once more.  
"No more engines…" he said defiantly to himself. "No more…" he added as he came to the Transfer Yards connecting his rails to the side of the Skarloey Railway. In the distance he could see Bertrum's shed all alone and quiet. No-one else knew he'd gone and Crosby just felt terrible. "The engines of old have had their time…" he then said quietly. "Only some deserve a second chance. Duke, Bertrum and Kennedy alike, but me, I don't think so. I was given this chance but I haven't used it for good, and that is wrong. What must my controller think of me? I've deserted them not long after rejoining the railway. I am an awful Diesel."  
"I'd disagree with that…" then came a voice to the side of Crosby.  
"Duke!" said Crosby in surprise. "What are you doing out here? I thought no-one dared to go out at night…"  
"You thought right…" smiled Duke. "But times like this call for severe action. I've never known Sodor to be like this, and it should never be this way."  
"I feel awful for what I've done though…" said Crosby.  
"You are not at fault here. The Blue Diesels are. They are fiends. No engine can decide the future of a railway, no engine can. Not even me." continued Duke with a face that just demonstrated strength and determination. "We've got to make them forget themselves. Forget why they left in the first place. Make them move on and accept this. I accepted my fate all that time ago. 20 years confined to a shed where the land grew over me. I accepted that, and they must accept their fate too."  
"But how do we do that?" asked Crosby. "They're not just Diesels. They're Diesels intent on changing the way of an Island."  
"I don't know how…" said Duke. "But we will do this, everyone will do this." he added before slowly making his way.  
"Duke!" called Crosby. "You can't just leave!"  
"Oh, but I can…" laughed Duke before he vanished into the distance. Crosby was once more all on his own…

Back at Tidmouth Sheds, the atmosphere had got even worse between the engines and the two awful Diesels.  
"Accept that your time on Sodor has come to an end Thomas, Percy, James, Henry, Gordon and Emily." began Blanche. "…because you won't be here much longer…" Bess just laughed at her Sister's brilliant remark.  
"Why did you leave Sodor?" James eventually asked. "Both of you? Because none of us remember you…"  
"We were here when you were…" replied Bess. "We worked at Smelters. We destroyed engines amongst other things for a living and then they replaced us…"  
"Why?" asked Percy nervously.  
"Because we were too old!" spouted Blanche. "And they replaced us with 'Arry and Bert! Our younger Brothers of all the Diesels to replace us with, they chose those two…"  
"Where did you go?" asked Thomas.  
"We went to an old Diesel refuge. It was led by a Diesel called Bonnie. We hated her and we hated that place." answered Bess. "Thankfully, we were taken to the Mainland soon after and worked on a Scraps line. It was fun until we were replaced once again."  
"A recurring theme of our lives…" added Blanche. "Replaced at the moment when you think everything is going fine!"  
"We were put up for scrap then!" revealed Bess. "Diesels that scrapped engines themselves were now up for scrap! But we fled…"  
"To here…" finished Blanche. "Our old home. Yes, it's changed a lot but we don't care about the scenery. We care about whose on the rails and we can't have it this way. Sodor has to be the way it was."  
"What happens to us then?" Gordon enquired. "What happens to the Express and Flying Kipper for example if we're not here?"  
"We get your predecessors back…it's simple really…" smiled Bess.  
"But they were scrapped!" said Henry. "You can't bring a scrapped engine back!" he added as Blanche and Bess just began to laugh to themselves. They knew their plan was working. Riling the engines in this manner was what was needed. But in all of this, they had forgotten about Crosby, their plaything. They didn't know what he was doing and without knowing for sure, this is where it could all go wrong…

"Think Crosby, think!" called Crosby to himself loudly as he thought through whatever he could to help stop Blanche and Bess. "Duke said we've got to make them accept their fate. How do I do that?"  
"Speak to those who came back…" whispered a familiar voice to Crosby's side. Once again it was Duke.  
"Are you following me?" smiled Crosby.  
"No, I'm helping…" said Duke. "You've spoken to me, now speak to Neil and to June. Speak to Kennedy, to Enid and to Alistair and then finally to yourself. Ask why did they accept their fate? And why they were happy to move on. With that knowledge, you can stop this and bring everyone back…"  
"But I'm no-one special…" pleaded Crosby.  
"But you've spoken to someone who is…" smiled Duke. "Well, apparently I am according to everyone else. I just think I'm me. Duke, no-one special at all…" and with that, Duke once again set off and left. "Well done Crosby…" he said before he vanished from sight. "You're almost there…"  
"Right then…" said Crosby to himself. "Let's do this!"

Sodor was on edge. The Culdee Fell Railway had closed until further notice due to the terror and fear. Arlesdale was at a standstill and no-one else dared to move. Gordon though, despite all of his earlier anxieties felt like now was the time to be brave.  
"I had Brothers aswell…" he said calmly to Blanche and Bess as they still looked on menacingly. "Only one remains. The others are all long since gone. I've got a Cousin too, he lives on Sodor aswell. I don't like him at all…"  
"Is this getting anywhere?" sneered Blanche.  
"Yes." said Gordon firmly. "Until now, I had accepted everything about my Brother's and their untimely demises. But you've made me wonder why I can't change that…" Blanche and Bess looked more interested now as Gordon was speaking on their terms.  
"You agree with all of this then?" asked Bess. "If so, we welcome any new recruits! You're old enough anyway…" Gordon didn't answer the question as he knew he was lying. The other engines though didn't and were deeply concerned.  
"The thing is no-one sort of remembered about a special little trip I arranged a little while back, which is a shame because it was meant to be a grand welcome back for someone. They were meant to arrive at Midnight and oh, look at the clock over there, its Midnight! They should be here!" Gordon smiled proudly as in the distance there was a familiar clickety-clack on the rails and a whistle that everyone knew meant help was at hand. On the Skarloey Railway, Duke could hear the whistle and smiled widely.  
"It's a bit late to be bringing visitors considering you're leaving Sodor, isn't it?" asked Blanche.  
"But this isn't just any visitor…" replied Gordon.  
"Then who is it?" asked Bess.  
"It's my Brother!" said Gordon triumphantly. "It's the Flying Scotsman!" he added proudly as the famous train came into view. Steam hissed everywhere and the pristine green paint of Flying Scotsman lit up the night. Blanche and Bess just look on horrified.  
"Y…yyyy…you know the Flying Scotsman?" they both stuttered in unison.  
"We're Brothers…" answered Flying Scotsman. "Ofcourse we know each other…" he added with a smile just as wide as his Brother's.

"I thought you knew all about us…" laughed Gordon.  
"Obviously not…" smiled Flying Scotsman as the evil Diesels still looked on shocked. Then, coming in from the distance was Crosby. He looked exhausted but determined.  
"Blanche, Bess…" he began. "Your time is up…"  
"Hardly…" they both sneered.  
"Oh I think so…" then boomed a voice in the distance as in came the Fat Controller smiling widely from the cabin of Kennedy. He had a flatbed attached to him and on that flatbed was Duke, June and Neil. Following them were Enid and Alistair.  
"I've been speaking to those who came back…" began Crosby once more. "…and all of them said the same. They accepted their fate long ago. They knew they couldn't just change the Island from their own actions. They just had to hope it would change."  
"Nonsense!" dismissed Blanche. "We do as we want!"  
"Well it's a shame then that we didn't scrap you all those years ago…" boomed the Fat Controller. "…because if we had, none of this would have happened"  
"But you can't deny a prophecy…" cut in Bess crossly.  
"But you can if it's made up by an old engine, a very, very old engine…" then came a voice. Blanche and Bess looked up and saw that Duke was smiling wider than everyone else. "I'm sorry, girls…" he then smiled. "But you've been fooled by Dukie…" Blanche and Bess just couldn't believe it. Their whole plan was formed upon this prophecy and with that now found out to be just a mere story of Duke's, they simply couldn't do a thing.  
"These Diesels of old have had their time…" sang Duke. "…and this how we formed this rhyme…They were tricked by an engine ever so grand. It's not a shame though he spoiled their plan!"  
"Engines come and engines go…" smiled the Fat Controller.  
"Some say yes and some say no…" added Gordon.

"NO!" cried Blanche.  
"You can't do this!" pleaded Bess. The Fat Controller just smiled in delight.  
"Oh, but we can…" he said. "Duck, Oliver! You know where to take them!" he declared as the Great Western engines appeared into view before buffering the Diesels loudly. Blanche and Bess just gave up trying and were soon heading off in a familiar direction.  
"But what about the missing engines?" asked Percy. "Are they coming back?"  
"They never left Sodor…" answered Crosby to everyone. "As I went around the Island to find the answer of the once forgotten, I encountered an old line that wasn't hidden away too well. I was put onto that line and soon I found them. All safe and well, just a little scared but it's understandable."  
"All of this though because they couldn't let go of the past?" said Thomas. "It seems unreal!"  
"The past can be a very harmful thing…" spoke Kennedy.  
"It can harm so many…" continued Neil.  
"And wreak havoc on the present…" added June.  
"You can look at it fondly…" continued Enid.  
"But you have to leave it as it was…" added Alistair.  
"As time moves on…" concluded Duke. "You have to accept change. It happens and Blanche and Bess simply couldn't accept it…"  
"Well then…" smiled the Fat Controller. "I know its past Midnight but I think a return to a safe Sodor is more than enough cause for celebration!" and with that everyone cheered in delight.

As for Blanche and Bess, once Duck and Oliver had uncoupled from them and left, two familiar faces came and appeared.  
"You took it too far…" grinned 'Arry.  
"And now you pay the consequences." added Bert. Blanche and Bess just looked on horrified as the Smelters seemed to intensify in heat.  
"We're your Sisters! Show some compassion!" pleaded Blanche.  
"Help!" cried Bess but 'Arry and Bert did nothing. As a crane slowly beckoned down, one on Blanche, one on Bess, 'Arry and Bert left. A few moments later, the last cries of help were heard from the evil Diesels and then it all fell silent…

The following Morning, celebrations rang out across the whole Sodor and everyone cheered as they knew their lives were back to normal once more. Gordon persuaded his Brother to stay for a few more days and in that time, the pair of them provided the best Express Duty Sodor has ever seen. For Arthur, Honey and Bertrum, they knew their lives were shaken but being a resident of Sodor meant they could move on and feel safe once again. As for Crosby, he visits every now and then as he still loves Sodor but he knows that there can be too many trains in one go and he doesn't want to bankrupt the Fat Controller! And as for Duke, his stories live on and the rhyme he sang at the downfall of the Diesels is written down and forever logged by the ever-expanding tributes that adorn Sodor Museums in honour of the Hero of the Engines.

"Those Diesels of old had their time."  
…and this how we formed this rhyme.  
They were tricked by an engine ever so grand.  
It's not a shame though that he spoiled their plan!  
Forever gone and never to be seen…  
Everyone on Sodor just treats this adventure as a very bad dream!"


End file.
